We feel so lucky to have Sean Holcombe, MFT lead our “Dads” Program at Then Comes Baby. Soon-to-be and new dads of the community can count on Sean to help both guide them and educate them through this big shift in life, with his signature direct, yet humorous, approach.

Sean has a rich history of leading men’s groups in Berkeley for new dads – talents that he will now be bringing to Oakland community with a New Dads Group on first and third Wednesdays, starting in August! Sean was an early believer in Then Comes Baby, cheering us on from before we opened our doors, and has been with us since the beginning..

I just finished facilitating my Becoming a Dad class at Then Comes Baby, one of my favorite classes to teach. Sitting around with the new group of men, on the verge of one of the biggest life changes they may ever experience, I smiled hearing everyone talk about the excitement and fear they were feeling as they approach fatherhood. So many nodded their heads as they talked about being excited about sharing their lives with their soon to be born sons and daughters.

So many also resonated about the anxiety about what the future will look like. Will they be ready? Have they gotten the right stuff? Will the bring with them all the positives from their own parents while leaving behind the negative from their youth? More than anything else, the feeling in the room with everyone sharing was simply: relief. The men in the room took comfort in knowing that they weren’t alone in this process, that others shared their worries, and others didn’t have everything figured out either.

The Becoming a Dad class is the beginning of a lifelong journey for these men as they transform into amazing fathers. I am so happy to help create a small corner of the Then Comes Baby community where men can explore this moment in their lives, and continue this conversation in the Wednesday evening New Dad’s Group.Sean Holcombe is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in the East Bay. He received his degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, focusing on children and adolescents. Sean offers a unique service in his private practice: home based family therapy. Sean also leads a series of men’s groups in Berkeley and Oakland for new dads, along with his class for expectant fathers, Becoming a Dad at Then Comes Baby in Oakland.

Robyn is one of our much-loved Moms Group facilitators and is also a therapist who specializes in working with moms and couples through pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenthood. She shares office space at Then Comes Baby on Mondays and Tuesdays and is happy to hear how she can support you.

I think I can speak for most of us working closely with women in the perinatal time of life (prenatal through postpartum) specifically those of us working in the area of maternal mental health, when I say that I am both heartened and relieved to see more and more information coming out about the significance of a woman’s transition to motherhood. After all, there may be no greater transformation that a woman can experience than the one she undergoes when she has a baby.

We are seeing more articles written on the topic like this one https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/well/family/the-birth-of-a-mother.htmloutlining the transition to motherhood; one usually fraught with highs and lows and an intense array of feelings to sort through. We are seeing more and more celebrities (which the NYT article also highlights) coming out about their struggles with Postpartum Depression, beginning to crack some of the silence that has historically shrouded this issue. For this I am grateful.

Motherhood is a complicated journey that needs voices normalizing the struggles as well as the joys. And although articles and celebrities are tremendously useful in increasing public awareness and shedding light on the 15% of women who will develop a Perinatal Mood and/or Anxiety Disorder, it isn’t enough. There is a key part of the story that repeatedly gets left out of the conversation.

Generally speaking, once a baby is born our culture’s focus shifts permanently to that baby. It is rare that a new mom is asked, with any regularity, how she is doing emotionally. This means that a new mom who is incredibly sleep-deprived needs to muster the energy and in many cases, the bravery to say that she is struggling and needs support. Once she identifies that she may need something extra to help her through this period, she then has to search for the resources that in many communities are very difficult to find.

Here in the Bay Area, we are so very lucky to have resources for new moms and as a Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in Maternal Mental Health, I see helping moms get that support as a personal and professional responsibility. Women need to be seen and heard throughout their journey of motherhood. Healthcare professionals can educate, ask questions, listen, offer support and make referrals to those of us who can help.

Below are some risk factors, which may increase a woman’s chances of struggling emotionally during pregnancy and/or after giving birth (and potentially up to one + year postpartum). These are important for all women contemplating a pregnancy to be aware of as well as any healthcare professional providing services to her.

Risk Factors:

-A personal or family history of a mental health issue, including depression and/or anxiety and/or a previous Perinatal Mood/Anxiety Disorder